Long Island's Matthew Schaefer namesakes enjoy having that in common with Islanders star

Matthew Schaefer, meet . . .  Matthew Schaefer?

The 18-year-old Islanders defenseman, the No. 1 overall pick in last year's NHL Draft, has become a fan favorite on Long Island through the first four months of his rookie season.

Count at least two Long Islanders who share Schaefer’s name among his fan base (and the Islanders’). One of them met the rising star before the season ever began.

“My son has season tickets for the Islanders, and they had the barbecue where you meet the players, some of them,” said Matthew Schaefer, a Hicksville native who now lives in Syosset. “I wanted to get a jersey or see him in person. So when we walked up to the trailer that he was in signing autographs and stuff, I went up to him. I was like, ‘Hey, Matt Schaefer, how you doing?’

“And then he goes, ‘Hey, doing good.’ So he signed my son's stuff and he took pictures with us. I said, ‘My name is Matt Schaefer, too.’ So he's like, ‘Get out of here.’ ”

It was no prank. Schaefer, 57, pulled out his ID and showed it to the Islander.

“He's like, ‘Oh, man, the same way it’s spelled. Do you think I could borrow this? I can make a fake ID with it,’ ” the elder Schaefer recalled. “It was funny. He was just joking, man. He seems like a good kid. I wished him well and everything.''

It was yet another example of the kind of wit and warmth Islanders fans have become accustomed to from the defenseman.

“I said, 'Welcome to Long Island and good luck with your career, and I hope it’s a good one.' " the Syosset Schaefer said,

So far, so good.

Another Matthew Schaefer, of Commack, has yet to meet the young Islander. He first heard about him last June 27, the first day of the 2025 NHL Draft.

“I'm not too deep into hockey that I know who the prospects are,” the 22-year-old said. “I just found out when they took him No. 1 overall, and I had a bunch of my friends joke-texting me like, ‘Oh, congrats on the No. 1 pick.’ Jokes like that.

“It was definitely weird, but it was funny. Good laugh.”

UBS Arena is filled with No. 48 jerseys each game. The Commack Schaefer attended a recent Islanders-Devils game and saw plenty of them, which he found amusing.

“It was kind of funny walking around seeing everyone with my name on their jersey,” he said. “I was making a joke to my buddy. I was like, ‘Oh, look at all these people repping my jersey.’ ”

He added: “I was looking into getting a jersey. I was making the joke that normally people have to get one of those extra-expensive custom jerseys to get their name on the jersey, but I could just buy a regular-priced jersey for him and it'd be the same thing.”

The Syosset  Schaefer, who works for the Oyster Bay Housing Authority, grew up going to Islanders games at Nassau Coliseum. His son, Jayke, has season tickets directly behind one of the goals in Section 120 at UBS Arena. His whole family owns Schaefer jerseys.

Having the same name as a star athlete can lead to interesting encounters. The perfect example is ESPN’s 2013 TV commercial that shows a man named Michael Jordan showing up to places — whether it be a doctor’s office, a restaurant or an airport — only to be greeted with disappointment that he is not the NBA legend. The Islanders’ Schaefer is far from Jordan status, but similar exchanges have occurred for the Long Islanders with the same name.

“I coach AAU basketball,” the Commack Schaefer said. “I had a couple new girls join my team, and we use this app called sportsYou, it's like a team group chat app. One of the parents who I met for the first time at the first game, they're like, ‘Is your name actually Matthew Schaefer, like the Islanders player?’

“I'm like, ‘Yeah, yeah. That’s me. I know I'm not like the guy you were expecting.’ ”

Syosset’s Schaefer, on the other hand, has been greeted with applause by people who recognize his name.

“I’m going around and they’re like, ‘Matthew Schaefer (clap, clap, clap, clap, clap),’ ” he said. “Everywhere I go walking around, they’re saying that now.”

At the Olympic break, the Islanders’ Schaefer has 16 goals and 23 assists. He is one goal away from tying Hall of Famer Phil Housley for the most single-season goals in NHL history by an 18-year-old defenseman.

And for his fellow Matthew Schaefers, those memorable interactions may be only the beginning.